the rebooted motorola RAZR with folding display is officially here

motorola has officially announced the much-rumoured and highly-anticipated revival of its iconic flip phone – the motorola RAZR smartphone. the reboot is still a flip and keeps much of the same form but the 2019 version runs on android and has a foldable plastic OLED panel in place of the t9 keypad.

images courtesy of motorola

as speculated in recently leaked info, a 2.7-inch touchscreen ‘quick view display’ on the front of the phone displays notifications whilst closed. it allows users to swipe through messages, control music, or take a selfie with the 16-megapixel camera, which works as the standard rear-view camera when open. there’s also an interior five-megapixel camera.

the RAZR isn’t the first phone with a foldable display we’ve seen this year but its certainly different to previous models. unlike the galaxy fold, which was finally released in september after a wave of bad reviews delayed its planned launch, the RAZR has a screen that folds vertically meaning it can always be held with one hand.

instead of a phone that can turn into a tablet, the motorla RAZR is a phone that halves in size, folding up to fit in nearly any pocket. users can keep their RAZR secure using a fingerprint reader and download apps onto 128gb of storage. motorola is currently working with google to ensure apps seamlessly transition from the front display to the main one.

motorola also claims to be splash-proof with an internal nano-coating and has a stronger screen. meanwhile, an ‘industry-first, patent-protected zero-gap hinge’ lets the phone close completely, protecting the main display from dust and other debris.

the same hinge has been reported as being a little stiff so how easy it is to open and close with a flick of the wrist is unknown. also expected to perform less well is the 2,510 mah battery, a smaller battery than the samsung galaxy s10, the google pixel 4, and newer iPhones.

videos by motorola

despite being dramatically more expensive than other flagship devices from apple, the new motorola RAZR will be the cheapest foldable phone when it enters the market. it will sell for $1,500 and be available for pre-order in december. it will only be sold on verizon in the US for now with a planned launch in verizon stores sometime in january 2020.

project info

company: motorola
model: motorola RAZR with foldable display
price: $1,500
available: pre-order in december, in verizon stores in the US january 2020
CPU: qualcomm snapdragon 710
RAM: 6gb
memory: 128gb
internal display: 6.2 inch flexible poled resolution 2142×876 pixels
external display: 2.7 inch quick view 800×600 pixel resolution
rear camera: 16mp (which can also become front), f / 1.7 with night vision mode
front camera: 5mp
battery: 2510mah
connectivity: usb-c, esim
operating system: android 9 pie
fingerprint sensor